


"You're so small."

by FearfulKitten



Series: Batman Bingo 2020 [6]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman and Robin (Comics), DCU, DCU (Comics), Nightwing (Comics)
Genre: Angry Dick Grayson, Batfamily (DCU), Batfamily (DCU) Feels, Bruce Wayne is Batman, Bruce Wayne is a Bad Parent, Damian Wayne Acts Like a Kid, Damian Wayne Feels, Damian Wayne Needs a Hug, Damian Wayne is Robin, Damian Wayne is Scared, Descriptions of wounds, Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Gen, Hurt Damian Wayne, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Mentions of Blood, Protective Dick Grayson, a scared kid, also not much, at bruce though not at baby, but it makes him a huge dick, no beta we die like robins, not too much he just sort of forgets that damian... feels, nothing too graphic but its there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:55:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25911697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FearfulKitten/pseuds/FearfulKitten
Summary: Damian gets injured during battle and runs from the fight, surprising (and terrifying) everyone. It doesn't take long for Nightwing to find him, but the state he's in is... Unexpected.Dick never though his brother could get this scared.
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Damian Wayne
Series: Batman Bingo 2020 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1852759
Comments: 43
Kudos: 536





	"You're so small."

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! So, let's get this out of the way; Damian isn't perfectly characterized in this, okay? If I wanted to write this, then I'd need to allow him to actually react like a scared, wounded kid, which is not something that happens in canon. I know. If it bothers you, this is your warning to click off. If it doesn't, then I hope you enjoy this!

Robin’s ears were still ringing. He had been hit hard tonight, and was trying to crawl his way to a safer spot. Right now, he was aiming for a shelter, any kind of shelter, and ended up hiding in a wet cardboard box. He needed to gather enough strenght to make his way back, needed to imobilize his ankle, needed pain medicines, needed to hide from the rain. He took a deep breath, trying to think of a good strategy, trying to find something that could help, but his ankle was so sore, and he was so cold, and there was nothing here but trash.

Damian felt weak. And he hated it. He hated how he couldn’t stop the fear creeping into his heart and spilling out through his eyes.

But he heard footsteps.

He knew he wouldn’t last in a fight. He could barely stand. And in that moment, Damian shoved his face between his thin knees and prayed.

Prayed that they wouldn’t find him. Prayed for the strenght he’d need. Prayed to keep his panic at bay. Prayed that he’d stop feeling his pulse on his ankle. If nothing else, Damian prayed so he wouldn’t feel so alone.

“Oh no...” He heard a familiar voice, and the footsteps got faster, in a hurried pace “Hey, Little D. It’s me.” He looked up. Nightwing had his hand stretched towards him and a gentle smile on his face “It’s over now. Let’s go home.” Dick stretched out his hand a little more, the back of his gloved finger rubbing Damian’s wet cheeks.

“I- I’m sorry.” The kid whispered.

“What for?” Dick asked softly.

“I don’t want father to see me like this.” Damian whispered again “Please. I’m not- I didn’t mean to run. I’m sorry for being so weak. I don’t- I don’t know what happened.” He sobbed.

“Hey, shh...” He hushed him, a hand on his back “It’s okay. You weren’t weak. A bomb went off next to you, Little D. Most people run. _Sane people_ run. It’s a very natural reaction.”

“Still... I don’t want to go with him.” He averted his gaze “I’m... I’m ashamed of myself. Please.”

Nightwing nodded and pressed the button on his communication device.

“Hey guys. I found Robin. I’m taking him home now. Everything’s okay, head back to the cave.”

“Thank you.” The kid whispered.

“Don’t mention it.” He looked at the boy’s injured foot. It was swollen enough to bend his boot a little “Did you sprain your ankle?” Damian nodded “Come here.” He picked him up by his armpits, and the boy allowed himself to be carried, wrapping his arms around his brother’s neck “It’s okay. I’ve got you. I’ll take care of you.” Dick rocked him a little, as if he was a baby, trying to soothe him. He the situation been any different, the boy would have scoffed at the action, swearing and kicking at his brother. But right now, he didn’t quite feel like himself, so he held on to his neck a little tighter.

For the first time since he began talking, Damian couldn’t hold back his tears. Nightwing held him close, making his brother feel safe as he used his grapple gun to take them both back to his motorcycle, a little slower than usual since he couldn’t use one of his arms. Robin hoped the rain would disguise his weeping, but Dick’s shoulders were way too acquainted with cries for him not to notice it. In the motorcycle, the kid buried his face on the other’s back and didn’t look up until they had parked in the cave. Dick climbed down slowly, and noticed his brother’s eyes were fixated on the floor. The others seemed unbothered by their presence. Damian lifted his arms, still not looking up.

“Please?” He whispered again.

Dick’s heart broke as he picked him up, feeling how cold his tiny, shivering body felt against his chest.

“Nightwing, Robin, mission reports.” Batman demanded, not looking up from his screen. Damian hid his face further on Dick’s neck.

“Later, B.” He stated, aiming for the stairs.

“I need your reports now, Nightwing.”

“I said later.” He growled, quickly moving through the metal steps.

“Nightw-” Tim tapped on his arm, and Batman froze as he stared at the duo.

Dick took Damian to his room, stopping on the way to ask Alfred to bring them some ice. He placed the boy on the toiled seat.

“Okay. Let’s get you out of those wet clothes, hm?” He said, kneeling to help him out of his boots. Gently, he pulled out the one on the injured foot. Damian grimaced “Sorry.” He pursed his lips together, pulling out the next one and then his socks.

Dick lifted himself to unbutton the top of his brother’s uniform. Robin’s cape was long gone. The kid’s torso was bruised and there was a small cut on his skin. Dick pulled off his pants too, and Damian’s thighs were just as bruised as the rest of his body, but at least there were no cuts. He took Damian’s mask off, and left it on top of the sink as he picked up the boy’s medical kit. There was a knock at the door, and Alfred handed the man a bucket full of ice packs, water, and some strong pain medicine.

“Thanks Alfie.” He said, walking back to the bathroom.

Dick sprayed some antiseptic in a cotton ball and cleaned the tiny wound with it, before handing his brother some of the ice, that he promptly pressed to the darkest bruise he had, covering a bit of his ribcage and a lot of his stomach. With his free hand, Damian quickly reached his brother’s face and pulled his mask away, handing it back to him. Dick found the action strange, but didn’t comment on it as he handed him more ice, this time for his already swelling black eye. The man sat down on the floor, holding two ice packs against his brother’s ankle. Damian scrunched his face up, grimacing.

“Sorry. I’m just trying to make sure this won’t swell up any further.”

“I know.” He grunted.

“We’ll need to make sure this isn’t broken. It’s looking pretty bad.”

“It’s not broken.” Damian shot back “I broke it in the past, and the pain is much more intense than this.”

“Okay.” Dick nodded “I still think it’s worth getting an x-ray, so we’ll dial up a doctor to have it checked out in the morning.”

The boy stared at the ground.

“Hey.” The man called softly “You did nothing wrong.”

“I ran.” He shot back, bitter taste creeping into his mouth.

“A bomb blew up less than five feet away from you.”

“It was a small explosion.”

“It still was an explosion.” Dick searched for his eyes “Hey. It’s okay. I ran too, y’know? The first time it happened to me.”

Silence fell over the two of them.

“I’m cold.” He complained “I need to shower.”

“Okay.” Dick took away the ice packs “Do you need help?”

“No. There are bars installed on my shower.” Damian bit his lip “But will you... Come back?” He stared at the ground, voice barely a whisper “I don’t want to be alone.”

“I will. I’ll go shower, then go down and give my mission report, then come up here with you, alright?” He reached up and cupped his cheek for a moment. The boy nodded “Okay. See you in a minute.”

...

After reporting back to Batman, Dick sighed.

“I hate that I feel like I have to ask this, and I’m praying to God that you prove me wrong here,” Dick said as he got up from his chair “but what are you planning on saying to Damian?”

“I don’t know.” The man stared at his computer again “I’m disappointed. I though he could handle this better. All that talk, and now this.”

Dick took a deep breath, staring at the cold metal table he had been sitting at.

“You’re such a fucking asshole.” He shook his head, fists supporting his weight on the table “He’s a child, Bruce. _Your child_.”

“He has been trained to endure this kind of situation. I expected him to know how to.”

“What?!” He asked “You’re insane.”

“No, I’m not. He said he was ready for this, and I can’t avoid feeling let down by his lack of rationality tonight”

“No.” The younger man walked to him, turning his chair around and caging him with his body “No. Don’t you _dare_ say any of that bullshit to him.” Bruce stared at him, expression hard to decipher “Now you’re gonna listen. You’re gonna sit there, and you’re gonna _listen_ to me for once.”

“Alri-”

“Shut up!” He yelled, tapping the chair’s arms violently “Just... Shut up.” He took a deep breath once again “Do you have any idea of the state he’s in? He has a bruise the size of _my hand_ on his torso. His right ankle is so swollen that I noticed it when he had his boots on. He lost his cape. He was scared, Bruce. I never saw him scared of anything, but he was _terrified_. He _cried on my shoulder_ , Bruce! He fucking _cried_ , because he was hurt, he was cold, and alone, and he probably though he was going to _die_. And do you know what he said when I found him? He said ‘I’m sorry, I don’t want father to see me like this’. And you want to tell him that you are disappointed in him? All he ever wants is your approval. He just wants you to be proud of him.” He stared down at the man “But look at what you’ve done. Your only biological son is so afraid of letting you down, he even can’t ask for your help.”

“Are you done?”

Dick clenched his jaw.

“Yes. I am. And now, I’m gonna go upstairs, and play the part _you_ were supposed to be playing.” He let go of the chair, kicking the table as he passed it, knocking it down with a loud, metalic sound “I hope you fucking think about what I said.”

He breathed deeply as he went up the stairs, trying to calm himself down. He creeked open Damian’s door, finding the boy holding his knees on the bed, silent tears rolling down his cheeks.

“Hey.” He called softly, sitting on the bed next to him and pulling him into a hug “I’m here. It’s okay. You’re okay.”

“I was weak. I’m not worthy of the mantle.” He sobbed.

“What are you talking about?” He asked “Dames, you got scared. Everyone gets scared sometimes.”

“I’m not supposed to get scared.”

“Oh, Dames.” He clicked his tongue, upset, and brought him closer “You can’t control that kind of thing. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

“He’s going to take it away from me, isn’t he? The Robin mantle.” He whispered against Dick’s skin.

“No.” He answered “No, he won’t.”

“How can you know that?”

“The Robin mantle was never his to give.” He sighed as he spoke “And it certainly isn’t his to take. It was mine, and now it’s yours, and even if he’s stupid enough to try it, I won’t let him take that from you.”

Damian’s cries got louder before he calmed down.

“Thank you, Dick.” He said. Dick kissed the top of his head.

“Don’t mention it.”

The young boy curled in on himself, laying down and pulling Dick with him. Damian was half asleep already, and his brother’s body shielded him from the world, kissing the top of his head again.

“You’re so small.” The man murmured against the boy’s scalp “So small, and young, and sometimes, I think you’re so fragile that you’re going to break. And then... You don’t. You never do. You’re so strong Little D. Stronger than all of us.” The man sighed, rubbing his brother’s back as he pulled him closer, as close as he could “I wish you didn’t have to be.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again! I know that there wasn't much resolution to anything at the end, but... What can I say? I hope you enjoyed this anyways. If you did, and you want to request me something go check out my writing tumblr blog, @fearfulkittenwrites. I also have a personal account, @fearful-kitten01, where I reblog a lot of stuff. Feel free to talk to me on either of those, if you want to! Keep in mind that I don't have a beta reader and english isn't my first language, so mistakes are bound to happen eventually. If you noticed any mistakes that I missed, feel free to point them out! It helps me a lot.  
> Thank you for reading! Ily, stay safe out there :)


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